Preheat the oven to 350. Line two 9 by 1 ½ -inch round cake pans with circles of wax paper *I would suggest baking spray or grease and flour!)

In the top of a double boiler, heat the chocolate until it melts, stirring ocassionaly with a wooden spoon. In a small mixing bowl, break up the egg yolks with a fork, then beat in the chocolate, melted butter and vanilla extract.

With a wire whisk or a rotary or electric beater, beat the egg whites and pinch of falt until they foam, then add the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, continuing to beat until the whites form stiff, unwavering peaks on the beater when it is lifted from the bowl.

Mix about 1/3 of the egg whites into the yolk-chocolate mixture, then reverse the process and pour the chocolate over the remaining egg whites. Sprinkle the flour over the top. With a rubber spatula, using an over-and under cutting motion instead of a mixing motion, folding the whites and the chocolate mixture together until no trace of the white remains. Do not over fold.

Pour the batter into the 2 lined pans, dividing it evenly between them. Bake in the middle of the oven until the layers are puffed and dry and a toothpick stuck in the center of a layer comes out clean. (For me, this took about 25-30 minutes, but keep an eye on this cake, it cooks quickly!)

Remove the pans from the oven and loosen the sides of the layers by running a sharp knife around them. Turn the out on a cake rack and remove the wax paper. Let the layers cool while you prepare the glaze.

The GLAZE:

In a small heavy saucepan, combine the chocolate, cream, sugar and corn syrup. Stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, cook on low heat until the chocolate and sugar are melted, then raise the heat to medium and cook without stirring for about 5 mintues, or until a ittle of the mixture drooppe into a glass of cold water forms a soft ball. In a small mixing bowl beat the egg lightly, then stir 3 tablespoons of the chocolate mixture into it. Pour this into the remaining chocolate in the saucepan and stir briskly. Cook over low heart, stirring constantly, for 3 or 4 minutes, or until the glaze coats the spoon heavily. Remove the pan from the heat and add the vanilla. Cool the glaze to room temperature.

When the cake layers have completely cooled, spread one of them with apricot jam and put the other layer on top. Set the rack in a jelly-roll pan and, holding the saucepan about 2 inches away from the cake, pur the glaze over it evenly. Smooth the glaze with a metal spatula. Let the cake stand until the glaze stops dripping, then, using two metal spatulas, transfer it to a plate and refrigerate it for 3 hours to harden the glaze. Remove it from the refrigerator ½ hour before serving.